Residential buildings in Chennai will be able to construct multilevel car parking facilities above ground integrated with the main building following an order passed by the Housing and Urban Development Department.

This is a long pending demand of builders who till now have had to make do with just stilt-floor car parking space or provide basement levels for car park. Open spaces were the only other option, according to Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India.

Following the Government Order No. 212 Housing and Urban Development (UD.I), September 26, 2012, builders will now be able to construct more car parking space in addition to the stilt level parking. The parking space is also exempt from the Floor Space Index norms which dictate the maximum amount of built up space allowed on a plot of land.

The order provides for stringent action by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority if the car park space is used for other purposes.

Addressing a press conference, Sandeep Mehta, President, Chennai-chapter of the Confederation, the apex body representing developers, welcomed the decision. Builders will be able to construct quality car parking space, as part of the main residential building, in line with the demands of the market. Providing basement parking was an unwieldy and expensive option.

Residential buildings have to provide one car park space for over 75 sq metre of floor area in Chennai Corporation limits or one per 100 sq metre of floor space outside the limit.

Suresh Krishn, Secretary, of the builders’ lobby, welcomed the changes in the building plan approval process. The process has been split into site approval and building plan approval. Once the site approval is obtained, plan approval will be automated. This will speed up the process and help builders plan better and faster, he said.